


Of Spirits and Bandits

by cadesama



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Mission Fic, Post-Canon, Stakeout, Undercover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-12
Updated: 2012-09-12
Packaged: 2017-11-14 02:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/510233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cadesama/pseuds/cadesama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dragging herself to the Fire Nation, tricking Aang into earthbending lessons, and playing Blind Bandit to interfere with the mission Iroh handed down to Zuko seemed like a good idea to Toph at the time. Zuko disagreed. Toko</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

Toph toed off one of her silk slippers, leaving it to rest on the over-stuffed palanquin pillow. She levered her foot back onto her lap, fingers digging in to massage her toes. Her feet were sensitive and clean, nails clipped and probably painted in some dainty, girly color, while her calluses had been ruthlessly scraped down. She felt a pout coming over her as she investigated the damage – weeks old at this point, but the wound to her pride lingered.

Last time she ever took advice from Katara, that was for sure.

"'Talk to your parents,' she says," Toph grumbled. "'Spend time with them. Let them get to know you're not a little girl anymore.' Yeah, and let them try to change me back."

Outside, the palanquin bearers paused in their step. Toph straightened, calling out to them, "Double time! You don't want to keep the Fire Lord waiting!"

And they didn't, obliging her with a triple step that jostled her off her cushion and almost out of the palanquin itself. She collapsed into a lump of fine silks and swearing, annoyed that she needed to invoke Zuko's name – like _he_  was a threat – and even more annoyed at herself for using it.

All part of the plan, but it was a stupid plan, Toph huffed to herself.

Well, no. It wasn't. It was her plan, but that didn't mean she liked it at all at the moment.

She righted herself as much as she could inside the palanquin, unshod feet tucked demurely under her robe and ridiculously long sleeves folded back up inside as much as possible. She settled for a moment, back straight to give herself back a feeling of dignity, ignoring the itchy feeling of the makeup the servants had applied to her face. Fidgety boredom quickly replaced that poise.

Toph reached out to touch the sealed note sent by Iroh, wedged tightly between the cushion and the palanquin frame. In the past few years, he'd become her own personal Hawky – but even better, between the tea and actual out loud readings of her letters – so in turn, it was fitting that he would use her as a messenger to his nephew.

While it had been months since she'd been to Ba Sing Se, it was Iroh who had actually facilitated her homecoming by writing to her parents. And when actually being home had driven her stir crazy, his letters – read by servants with too good a sense of self-preservation to edit – had helped her hatch this zany scheme. It all came down to Aang, because why not, everything else did. Lately – as in, since the end of the war – he hadn't been any kind of diligent when it came to studying earthbending. The first few years Toph had felt like he had a legit excuse, but lately it was annoying her. He was out there representing  _her_  and doing a crap job of it. Something had to change.

And that was why, with Iroh's tip, she was chasing him down in the Fire Nation.

The plan was pretty basic, aside from the fancy dress. Sneak up on Twinkletoes, take him by surprise, and forbid him from leaving the Fire Nation on pain of death until she deemed him an earthbending master. The pain of death part was Zuko's job, although Toph admitted she'd be up for it too.

The note from Iroh she didn't entirely get. All three of them had already communicated extensively while cooking this plan up, so it wasn't like Zuko needed more information on what was what. Iroh could have sent it directly to Zuko, too. Sending it along with Toph had the implication that it was extra secret, or about her – both of which irritated her. If this was how they were going to act when they remembered she was blind, she did _not_  appreciate it.

The palanquin bearers slowed in their steps. Toph itched to jump down, flex her toes into the earth and figure out just where the heck they were, but she restrained herself. The earth was patient. She could be too.

Her ears twitched at the clunk and hiss of the central palace gates as the steam engine pried them open. The powered gates were actually a new addition, Sokka's idea, although it had been Mai who finally persuaded Zuko that the time for humility was long past. Now they needed to impress dignitaries coming to the negotiating table, and nothing did that better than a show of power. Toph hadn't had much occasion to actually use the gates before, since she usually favored boosting herself over for a surprise entrance, but she could definitely see the wow factor. Noise aside, the gates swept open quickly, followed by a long, billowing gust of heat – unnecessary, she was sure, but a blunt reminder nonetheless that it was no earthbending moving the stone.

The palanquin bearers picked up the pace; Toph bit her lip as they made their way through the gate. It'd been a long time since she'd talked to Mai and Zuko's letters hadn't made any mention of her. After the war ended, they all thought they'd be coming back to the Fire Nation soon enough for a royal wedding, but somehow it just hadn't happened. Toph had stood at Sokka's side when he married Suki a few years back and she was sure she'd be at Aang's side when he married Katara soon enough – they'd practically been married for ages now anyway – but with Zuko and Mai, the date just kept getting pushed back.

She again touched the scroll, picking it up to roll between her hands. That was probably what Iroh's letter was about. Maybe he figured he'd get a straight answer if she delivered the note personally.

The palanquin came to a halt.

"Finally," Toph huffed out.

She fisted her hands into the silk of her robes, bunching it enough to actually come with her when she stepped down from the palanquin. A servant immediately tried to take her elbow, helping her out, but one of her feet was already on the ground – enough that she could earthbend the jerk onto his ass if she wanted to. Showing civility and restraint she did not feel, however, she merely pulled him to the side, earthbending the ground a little to the left.

"Master Toph," another servant began. He was standing further back, stance indicating a deep bow. "Your slippers?"

"Leave 'em."

It would make sneaking up on Aang a little harder if she didn't wear the slippers, but she was sick of this ruse already. She hadn't been forced to ride in a palanquin since right after the end of the war, and coming on the heels of a visit to her parents, she really didn't think she could manage shoes.

The servants paced her as she made her way into the palace. One of them no doubt carried her slippers. Another was probably meant as a guide, but since he kept trying to subtly direct her into a waiting chamber, she played the oblivious blind girl and continued on her way. He was too polite to actually correct her.

Given that a large part of the palace had actually burned down on the day of Sozin's comet – courtesy of Zuko and Azula's apparently excessive Agni Kai – Zuko had taken the opportunity to remodel in recent years. Stone flooring replaced old, hubristic wood, and Toph was all the more grateful for it as she felt her way through the palace. Before there had been narrow paths of basalt stonework throughout the palace grounds, but they were just a patchwork of dead ends and disconnected garden paths. Toph could navigate them, but she couldn't see through them.

The new masonry was far superior. She could see the courtiers waiting for their chance to pay tribute to the Fire Lord, the gardeners out in the courtyard trimming the grass, and she could see the court accountants tapping their boots against the floor as they tallied gold. Even better, she could see the throne room and she could see Aang.

A wicked smile curved her lips. Twinkletoes had no idea.

Toph halted at the doors to the throne room, allowing one of the servants to precede her. Some signal passed between him and the palace servants, and then the throne room door opened. She bowed curtly to both, holding a hand up as soon as one opened his mouth to announce her.

"That  _won't_  be necessary."

Gathering up her robes, Toph exhaled. The lessons of her youth were fresh in her mind, soured some by the recent time with her mother, but still deep enough to be instinctive. A delicate lady took delicate steps.

She moved into the throne room carefully and with grace, quietly prostrating herself before the gently flickering flames of state. She could feel Zuko behind them. Unusually, he was hard to get a read on. To the side, Aang's pulse fluttered with surprise.

"Um, Zuko. Did you schedule this?" Aang said. He shifted uneasily on the balls of his feet, presence as light as ever. He felt like he was ready to float away.

"Actually, I did."

Aang waited a beat, but Zuko didn't explain further.

"Okay," Aang said, drawing the syllable out. He bent down to lay a hand on Toph's shoulder. "Miss, if you have a problem, I'm sure I can help. I'm the –"

Toph seized the moment, sliding a foot out from her crouch and turning bodily under Aang's hand. She grinned, a hand flashing out to take his wrist, toppling him forward even as she earthbent a seat for herself. Aang yelped in surprise and stumbled backwards, wheeling his free arm as he tried to pull away from her. She'd never been a gentle touch, though, and he ended up in a heap, sprawled at the base of her newly created throne as she held on to him tightly.

"Weak, Twinkletoes. Weak," she cackled. "You seriously didn't see me coming?"

"Toph, I –"

"No excuses!" She let him go and he jumped back to his feet. It took a moment for him to settle back on the floor, and she stomped down against it, irritated at his hang time. "You're an earthbender and something as pathetic as  _clothes_  fooled you? I expect better."

Aang made no response. Toph jabbed a finger at him, stalking forward, words dying on her lips as she realized Aang wasn't on the floor anymore. Her anger flared for just a moment before he swooped back down, tugging her into a tight hug.

"I missed you, Toph!"

She pushed feebly at his chest.

"That's Sifu Toph."

He backed away, changing his stance in that overt and exaggerated way that meant he was bowing to her.

"Of course, Sifu Toph," he replied, his tone warm and excited. Aw, she'd missed that flutterhead.

"So then you'll stay?" Zuko said, pitching his voice from behind the wall of flames.

Toph refocused, tracking his movements as he stepped out, crossing onto the main floor of the chamber. The fire was a sharp line of unstable rock that cut across the floor – still within her grasp to bend, but turning toward something else entirely. She knew that the others didn't really like the demands of state that required him to maintain that line of fire in front of the throne, thinking it was too aggressive and too distant, but she found the sharp, strange feel of it interesting in her mind. It was a reminder of Zuko's power, but also of the little intersections there were across all the elements.

"Do I have a choice?" Aang returned, pulling Toph from her musings.

"No," Zuko said. "I finally caught you."

"Actually, I think credit goes to me, there," she said.

Zuko turned his attention back to her, stance open with Aang's as they shared a look. They were an interesting pair to compare – Zuko had achieved his father's height and then some, filling out with a broadness that probably made even Mai swoon, whereas Aang had remained willowy and whipcord thin despite his height. Which, while not as tall as Zuko, was quite a bit taller than Toph herself. Even Katara had a head on her, not that she was bitter or anything.

"Sure thing, Toph," Zuko said. He sounded weird – stilted, somehow. She wondered a little bit at that. For the longest time it had been the other way around, with the Fire Lord stuff coming a little unnaturally from him when he otherwise wanted to be casual and friendly with them. "He's your prisoner now."

He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, patting as if in consolation; Toph blushed, and then immediately glared in his direction, feeling angry at herself.

Hey now, what the hell?

* * *

Zuko eyed the stone throne Toph had bent out of the floor. It was nicely hewn, but a complete eyesore. It would definitely get in the way of courtiers kowtowing.

Behind him, Toph and Aang bickered amicably. Servants attempted to tidy the room, swiping ineffectually at the stone throne, and his secretary, Zhang Li, stepped briefly into the room to confirm the diplomatic arrangements he'd made behind Aang's back. While he hadn't actually thought Aang would duck out on Toph, it was very satisfying to catch him. And, he was willing to admit, it was also satisfying to have friend back in the palace. The last year had been lonely without Mai.

But he wasn't thinking about that now.

"Toph," he interrupted. She turned, eyebrows rising a little at his tone. "I didn't order a second throne. Do something about that."

"No." Tilting her head, she nodded at Aang. "You're up."

Aang groaned forcefully, while Zuko crossed his arms pointedly at him. The protest alone proved that Aang needed the training. He planted his feet, thrusting out his arms to work the basalt back into the floor. Toph smacked him on the arm and, grumbling only a little, he dutifully closed his eyes. Her throne disappeared with a rumble and Aang pushed his hands sideways, smoothing over the surface. Zuko toed his slipper across the seams just to make sure.

"You're sweating," Toph criticized. "Pathetic, airbender."

Aang wiped his hand across his brow, but nonetheless protested, "Am not!"

"Ha! You are, you liar!"

She grinned maniacally while Aang swore lightly under his breath. Zuko felt a sliver of a smile tug at his lips. Aang never did learn.

Despite Toph's obvious and vicious glee – or because of it – there was an excited look creeping across Aang's boyish face. Zuko didn't think he'd ever gotten quite the same response from Aang while training him. Harsh criticism was a matter of course, but there had been a tension there that didn't exist between Aang and Toph. Then again, their relationship was a little less complicated.

"Oh, before I forget," Toph started, turning toward Zuko. She held out a hand imperiously and two servants rushed forward. The first attempted to give her the slippers she clearly wasn't wearing and she batted him aside, but the second laid a scroll in her palm. She waved it in Zuko's direction. "Your uncle sent a letter. Dunno why he didn't send it to you directly. I'm not a bird."

"I don't know, Toph. You are pretty elegant and dainty," Aang said. Zuko stared at him, trying to read sarcasm into his words. Aang caught the look, gesturing back to Toph's outfit as justification. "Come on, she is! Even with my earthbending, I don't think I ever would have recognized her."

Zuko blinked slowly, giving Toph another look. Dainty he could almost see. She was still rather petite, but he wouldn't use the word elegant for her, not even when she doing her most graceful earthbending. That seemed like too flowery a word to describe her at any point. While she was doing a passable job imitating a courtier, the disguise was paper thin to him. The silk brocade  _daxiushan_  did not suit her, trapping and tangling her limbs in far too many layers. The light green and gold combination was the current fashion of the Earth Kingdom, but it looked sickly on her. The makeup didn't really seem to fit either, no matter how artfully applied. He was surprised her servants had managed to stick the tiny cut outs of antler to her forehead at all, actually.

It just wasn't  _Toph_  to wear any of it, and Zuko had to wonder exactly what her time with her mother had done to her that she would even bother, deception or no. Even the letter she passed to him was uncharacteristically sealed and undamaged. Either she had gotten frighteningly good at secretly opening letters, or she hadn't even tried.

"You're cute when you're making excuses," Toph told Aang. "Now read the letter already, Zuko, so I can take this get-up off."

She punctuated her point by pulling at the knotted waistband that pushed her bust up, immediately drawing both Zuko and Aang's eyes. They gulped, sharing a brief, awkward glance with each other.

Zuko cleared his throat, unfurling the note with fanfare.

"'Dear nephew,'" he read. His eyes scanned ahead, and he immediately cut himself off. His good eye widened, heart beating faster as he read about Uncle Iroh's situation. It was 'serious', he claimed, and needed to be dealt with 'discreetly.'

And discreet did not apply to either Toph or Aang.

With a slight pang of regret, Zuko rolled the note back up, ever mindful of their attention on him. Aang watched him with a puzzled, disappointed expression – he always did like news from Iroh and had stolen Zuko's job as tea server more than once – but Toph glowered with true malcontent. She  _knew_. She'd read his reaction in his heartbeat and she knew full well the note was about more than just tea and courtesies.

Zuko glared back at her and reaching out, snagged Aang by the collar to push at her.

"Isn't it time for training?" he asked.

Toph stomped her foot, bending up a jagged barrier across the throne room floor. It cut all the way through the gently crackling wall of fire Zuko was maintaining in the back of his mind. Irritatingly, the fire flickered and he had to refocus to keep it alive.

"No way! You can't do that! I brought the letter, so you gotta read it to me!"

"I can, because I'm the Fire Lord," Zuko snapped. It really was his favorite excuse. "And you should have read it yourself if you're so interested."

"I'm blind, you idiot!"

He shrugged, and added for punctuation, "Your servants aren't."

"He's got you there," Aang said.

Zuko nodded to Aang, backing up two steps to give himself space. He narrowed his eyes at the barrier and gathered up his robes in one hand, making sure the hem was well clear off the floor. He took a running leap at the barrier, planting one hand on it as he vaulted over it. Aang applauded politely while Toph grumbled.

Satisfied, Zuko let go of the fire in the throne room and swept out the exit. He was glad to have both Toph and Aang back in the palace, but Uncle's mission was clearly more pressing.

Servants peeled off from the corridor where they waited as he strode past, keeping a few paces behind him as they tailed him to his office. He ignored them. It was an acquired skill. The servants had been ever present in his childhood, but never so near, never so obsequious. And while he had relearned how to live with them after his exile, sometimes all the constant attention just made his skin itch.

He strode into his office, dropping the scroll onto his desk. Shoulders squared, he tossed a sharp look back at the servants.

"Out!"

As always, they bowed and graciously complied.

Stiffly, he sat at his desk. The crown felt heavy on his head. In days past, he would have removed it and let his hair down while in the privacy of his office. There wasn't much point in relaxing now, though. He unfurled the note, weighing down one end as he leaned back. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought.

' _Dear_ _nephew_ ,' the letter read.

_'I am glad to hear you are well. An old man worries, and that last assassin actually had some fight in him, from what I hear. Your allies are strong within the palace, but they can always be stronger still. I hope you have rewarded your guard well and appreciate the able partner you have at your side.'_

Uncle Iroh didn't know about Mai – that she was no longer by his side, that she hadn't been when that last, feeble assassin tried to kill him. Zuko's jaw tightened at the memory, even as he realized the remembered pain was more for the fact that he  _still_  fought for his throne than for the end of their relationship. He was doing better, finally.

_'But more important matters are afoot than petty assassination attempts! It is always a great feeling to see a plan come together. You will have to keep me up to date on how things go with the Avatar and Lady Bei Fong. I trust you will continue to act as brother to both. You know that Lady Bei Fong especially can be stubborn, but her recent letters worry me, and I think she will need your friendship._

_'And now to business. I'm afraid there is a deep, sick treachery beneath the surface of Ba Sing Se's Upper Ring. I have seen it with my own eyes. The looted temples of the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation both have lost their treasures to the selfish collectors of the high society. Worse, there are counterfeits mixed in and sold in the day markets, undercutting all different kinds of businesses, including mine!_

_'They are smuggling tea, Zuko. Horrible, awful tea that they label as quality and use to undercut my beloved teashop. I have investigated enough to know that it originates in the Fire Nation itself, and I know that you will see how serious my situation is. Be discreet, but act quickly. The very integrity of our nation is at stake._

' _Love,_

' _Uncle_ _Iroh_ '

The days after the comet had been messy, even as they were exultant for Zuko and the others. For Ozai's supporters, though, it had been terrifying. The writing was on the wall and too many rumors of the Avatar's power circulated for any of them to trust there would be clemency. Most fled, although some stayed and pledged their scant loyalty to Zuko directly. The Fire Sages had been among those who ran, with sacred documents and artifacts in their tow. Couldn't let an unworthy, traitor prince sully the nation's heritage, after all.

Recovering the artifacts had always been in the back of Zuko's mind – behind prosecuting war criminals, paying reparations, repairing international relationships, undoing a century of pernicious propaganda, and passing on the correct form of firebending to his people. He was going to get to it, but there was just a damn lot of stuff that had to happen first.

But now he had his chance. And yeah, there was something about tea too, but honestly, that made about as much sense as Uncle asking Zuko to be a "brother" to Toph. So, what, he was supposed let her throw lightning at him?

The smugglers he could deal with. All he needed was to find a nice store that sold masks.

* * *

It took some time for the servants to put Toph back together after she ripped off that stupid  _daxiushan_  They had transported her baggage into her rooms already, filling wardrobes and closets with the clothes her mother had sent with her. Crap she didn't need and didn't want, but somehow couldn't refuse when her mom just sounded so damn hopeful about her taking it.

So, whatever, she took it and the retinue of servants her mother swore she needed to look after her. It was sort of fun harassing them on the trip over, but the level of fuss they put up when she wanted to change into actual training clothes made her reconsider just outright ditching them. They could be a gift to the Fire Nation, thanking Zuko for his gracious hospitality.

Or, thinking on it, a punishment for him being a total jerk.

Toph frowned deeply and felt something pop loose. She rubbed a fist across her forehead, feeling makeup and  _something_  come off as she did so. It didn't feel like earth or metal, but it was tiny and hard and clearly decorative, shaped in a half circle cut out. Holding it on the tip of her tongue, she pressed it against her tongue and just as quickly spat it out again, face twisted in disgust. Well, it wasn't sugar, that was for sure.

"Okay, what the hell is this?" she asked aloud, irritation getting the better of her.

Aang stopped his rock squats in relief, putting down the boulder on his back to come over and look. He took her by the wrist, peering down, before dropping her hand with a hearty chuckle.

"It's antler, Toph," he said. He poked her in the forehead; she had the strong, aggravating sense he was grinning. "Girls in Ba Sing Se wear them all the time."

" _Why_?"

"It looks pretty."

"Oh."

"But why were you wearing it, Toph? It's not like makeup would have fooled me once I saw your face."

"My mom gave it to me," Toph said defensively. She stepped back from him, feeling the next question bubble up in him:  _Since_ _when_ _does_ _that_ _matter_? Quickly, she snapped, "Hey, did I say you could take a break? Twenty more rock squats!"

Aang sighed, backing off like she knew he would. She was glad that he wasn't pressing the issue. No, seriously, she was. She didn't want to talk about it, because it wasn't like anything was going on.

Eventually, though, she did get bored of listening to Aang's strained, unhappy huffs as he exercised under the huge boulder she'd plucked from the palace rock garden. Giving him a slight nod, she waved him to rest. While he gulped down heaving breaths of air, there was time to ask him about the other thing bothering her. The safer thing.

"So, has Zuko been like that the whole time you've been here?" she asked, gesturing with accuracy no one appreciated to where Zuko was rattling around in his office.

"Yep, pretty much," Aang said agreeably. "Actually, I think he was a little nicer to you. The palace is definitely getting to him."

"Well, how do we fix it?"

"Get him and Mai back together?"

Toph leaned back heavily on the boulder. Wow, so they were really broken up? She blinked up into the warmth of the sunlight, trying to process the thought. Zuko and Mai had been together forever, it seemed, but the moment she tried to think that Aang was wrong, it was obvious to her that was exactly what was going on with Zuko. No one was around in the palace to take him down a peg anymore, so he'd started to get it into his head that he was actually important.

"Wait," she started. One part really didn't make sense. "How did you know this when I didn't? I'm the one who's been writing to him!"

"Avatars have our ways," Aang said airily. "And Sokka told me."

Which didn't really explain why Sokka knew – other than that Mai probably told Ty Lee and Ty Lee told Suki. Nonetheless, it was still frustrating to be the last to know.

She crossed her arms and kicked her heels against the ground, making little divots she could wiggle them into.

"So I guess that means you're up next, Twinkletoes. You and Katara gotta get hitched so we can get Zuko out of this place and back to normal."

Aang mumbled something; stilling, Toph pressed her toes firmly against the ground. It felt very much like he was blushing. And not in the cute, embarrassed way. No, this felt like classic airbender avoidance.

"You didn't…" she hissed.

"It was just too much! The pressure, the planning, the  _politics_  of it! It was just a little ceremony, Toph. Just us and Chief Hakoda," he explained, almost pleadingly. "It was just for us. We'll do another one for the world, we swear."

"You better. Who knows?"

"Chief Hakoda, Master Pakku, Grandma Kanna," Aang said. It sounded like he was about to list off all of the Southern Water Tribe. Impatiently she waved at him to get to the important people. "Sokka and Suki. Probably Ty Lee by now."

"And Mai," Toph gritted out. "Am I the last to know?"

"Well…"

" _Aang_!"

"Zuko doesn't know either!"

Toph smacked her palm to her forehead. Another little bit of antler fell to the ground.

"He's going to kill you. And it's gonna be funny, so I'm going to watch."

Metaphorically speaking, anyway.

"That's part of why I came," Aang said. "I need to come clean with him and plan the ceremony with him. I wasn't exactly duped by your 'big crisis', you know."

Toph remained silent for a moment, listening to the earth and the hum of palace life around them. If he was saying what she thought he was saying, he'd just admitted that he was willing to have the ceremony in the Fire Nation. Sort of a big political concession to give just on the basis of hurt feelings, and probably not the smartest idea over all. Kuei whined almost daily about the close relationship between the Avatar and the Fire Lord as it was. On the other hand, Aang had been a twit and, without Katara there to smooth things over, he really was going to have to concede something big if he wanted to make it out of the country unscathed.

But there was another matter to consider. Not that her clever plan to lure him to the Fire Nation hadn't actually been as clever as she thought – although that stung a bit – but the other thing.

"You've been here two weeks," Toph said, trying to rein in her temper. "And you still haven't told him?"

"I'm just waiting for the right moment!"

Toph jumped to her feet, planting them deep into the ground to get a good, hard earthbending shove behind the boulder.

"Twenty rock squats! Now!"

She couldn't believe this crap. She could feel Aang struggling with the boulder and she pushed it down, just to make it a little hard, but her heart wasn't really in it. She'd planned on being good, on teaching Aang and razzing Sparky all day, but suddenly she wanted to get out of here. She wanted to go out into the city and do something stupidly Toph.


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko scrabbled desperately at the roof tiles, trying to slow his fall. They were smooth and even beneath his hands, impossible to find purchase on. Gritting his teeth, he snarled against the grainy wood of his mask and flared out his firebending. His fingertips sizzled and then sank into the tiles, finally giving him something to grip as the acrid tang of burning clay filled the air. His legs dangled over the edge of the rooftop and he allowed himself only a moment to breath before hauling himself back onto the temple roof.

Somehow, this Blue Spirit thing used to be easier.

He squinted through the narrow eye slits of his mask, frowning as he took in the red-hot gouges in the tiles. The monsoons wouldn't be for some time yet, so he probably had time to shuffle some numbers in the budget to fix that. He made a mental note to make sure he put a minister on that when he got back to the palace.

He turned his attention out to the city below. The Fire Temple was the tallest building in the lower city and one of the closest to the docks. Bright pinpricks of fire lit the center of the city, dimming and growing sparse into the residential areas. The warehouses and docks nearby were still and dark, but as Zuko concentrated the few lanterns hanging on ships sharpened to unnatural brightness. Burly figures moved from the warehouses to the docks, loading up large boxes of cargo. He shook his head minutely to himself. Not the guys.

But on the fringes, just on the edge between the lighter areas and the darker, he started to see something strange. Well dressed men and women passed from the market district into the warehouse district in twos and threes – too many to be lost, too few to indicate a legal draw.

He smiled against his mask. Now that looked interesting.

The skills came back to him as he ran along the rooftops – how to run without slipping, how to judge the distance to the next rooftop, how to control a slide to land silently while people passed below. He let himself fall back into the mindset of the Blue Spirit, movements flowing without fire, without intent, as he dropped down to the street level. He moved from shadow to shadow, self hidden but for one thing. He didn't quite push his firebending entirely from his mind. Maybe it was cheating, this time, to rely on his firebending to help his night vision when he would have gone without before, or maybe he just hadn't been as good before. Either way, he couldn't let that advantage go.

Zuko tailed his targets – a well dressed woman and two tattooed, unpleasant looking men – for several blocks, deep into the shipping district to a non-descript warehouse that raucous music spilled out from when they entered. He crouched low into the shadows, watching as others came and went. More than a few were refused entry or thrown out unceremoniously. The front door didn't seem like much of an option. He lifted his gaze, back to the rooftop.

There was no patrol.

He stretched his arms behind his back and rolled his shoulders. He was getting a work out tonight.

The stone of this rooftop was even and flat, a nice relief from the angled roofs of city dwellings. There was a large access window for a crane set into one side, and the wooden panel lifted easily aside. Zuko slipped down onto the uppermost level of storage, directly onto a pallet of goods, and pushed the panel back into place. He left it just slightly ajar. Tonight was just recon. No need to leave through the front door if he could help it.

He crept along the storage area, lifting the tops of unsecured boxes for the occasional, cursory glance. Salacious books, packets of powders, and glass decanters that were probably filled with alcohol. Nothing of particular interest.

But as he worked his way across, he came to a large lift – mechanized, safer than the ones they used in Ba Sing Se, but too visible to actually use. The stairway nearby would be a better choice. Through the gap in the floor near the lift, he could hear the music from the ground level and see the people milling down below.

Zuko took off his mask, kneeling down to peer through the gap.

Musicians played beyond the range of his view, but directly beneath a large table had been set up. His mark from before, the woman, was playing mahjong among a crowd of men. Ceramic sticks were piled high in front of her, rather than coins, but it was clear enough that the stakes of the game were more than friendly.

A large man with the look of security personnel swept past the table and the woman hoarded her winnings closer, but nothing came from the inspection. Zuko turned his attention to the man, tracking his movements across the floor as much as he could through the narrow gaps. He shifted closer to the stairs, looking through the perpendicular gap along the other edge of the lift. He caught sight of the man again, feeling a thrill of victory as he made his way toward another door. A backroom.

It looked like his hunch had paid off.

Now all he needed to do was figure out a way into that room. He searched the rest of the floor, searching for any other way down to the ground level. No other stairs, no other lifts, and no floorboards he could pry up – although he did give that one a shot. There was, however, a window.

Zuko took a deep breath, calculating the risk. He didn't know if there was a window on the first floor, but if he remembered the design for most buildings in this district, there probably was one. He'd still have to get in and pass half way across the warehouse floor to get to the back room, however. What he needed was a distraction.

He could think of one later.

He took off his mask, slinging it over one shoulder, and ran his hands through his hair, unbinding it. Long hair over his scar wouldn't be much of a disguise if he got caught, but if that happened he could just throw a lot of fire at them, or try playing the Fire Lord card. He had to admit, he wasn't quite sure that would work with this crowd.

Zuko levered the nearby window open and climbed down easily. He dropped to the ground, crouching to hush the sound, before slowly standing. There was a window, after all, and no one particularly close to it. He pushed it open from the outside, working carefully and quietly, before climbing through.

He edged around the gambling tables, keeping close to the wall, before drawing up short. There was an obstacle in his path – a curvy woman in a bright red  _qipao_. An indecent  _qipao_ , he noted dimly, eyes tracing her backside as she bent down to throw dice at the wall. Her dice fell on spider-snake eyes and the woman threw back her head, cackling victoriously.

" _Toph_?" he sputtered in horror.

* * *

She teetered on her high heels, laugh fading to a wicked grin as she stabilized herself with a hand on the hard packed floor. Instantly, her smile disappeared. She cocked her head to the side, mind racing as her ears confirmed what her earthbending was already telling her.

"Zuko?" she asked blankly. And loudly.

The chatter and tumult of the gambling hall quickly silenced, the pipa player's fingers falling of his instrument with a discordant strum.

Oh. Oh crap.

On a scale of one to hey, he's on the money, just how recognizable is Zuko? Toph wondered desperately. People knew the name, of course, and maybe it was just a mention of the Fire Lord bringing all illegal activities to an abrupt, panicked end. They were just skittish types.

She breathed out, straightening just enough to kick off her shoes before planting her feet firmly back on the earth and crouching into an immovable, low stance. Zuko edged back, not quite in front of her, but angled to protect her flank. She brought her forearms up, guarding her center as she focused on the crowd around them. They were wary, trending toward aggressive. They knew something was wrong – but the attention seemed a lot more on her than Zuko, for the moment.

"What were you thinking?" asked one man – thin, tall, and tense – directing the question to one of the bouncers. "Letting the Runaway in here?"

"I thought she was the Blind Bandit," the bouncer replied with a mild shrug. It was true; she'd bribed him with an autograph on what she assumed was a portrait of herself from her last Earth Rumble win. His pulse quickened a little, footing changing as he looked toward Zuko. He took a threatening step forward. "And who are you? I don't remember letting you in!"

"Time to go," Toph said.

"I think it is," Zuko agreed.

He jerked his head toward the window and Toph snorted to herself. As if.

She turned, lunging with her leg as she pushed forcefully at the wall. It exploded outward and she fumbled for Zuko's hand, grabbing onto him to pull him with her as she skated forward on a ripple of earth.

Toph rode the wave through the main artery of the dock district, putting as much distance as she could between them and the mob thugs no doubt giving chase. She knew the area fairly well – it wasn't exactly her first visit to a gambling establishment in the capitol, although it was the first where she'd been let in so easily – but she also knew this was no time to hide out in one of the little back alley niches. Not now, not when those knee breakers were so close behind them and she had so many freaking questions to ask Zuko.

She didn't stop earthbending their ride until they were well into the park district of the city. She deposited them in the shade of a large willow, near to a pond. She was pretty sure Zuko liked those.

It was long moment before she released the mound of earth beneath her feet, feeling outward with it to track the movement of the bouncer and other mobsters. They had a clear path to follow, but they'd have to slow down and be discreet once they left the dock area. She'd bought them plenty of time.

"Okay," she said, stepping off the mound to walk on the actual park grass, and jabbing a finger upward at Zuko. "What was  _that_  about?"

"Good question," Zuko snapped.

"Excuse me?"

"Was I unclear? What exactly was the guest of the Fire Lord, the earthbending master of the Avatar, doing in a  _hole_  like that?"

"Winning," Toph replied. She tensed, leaning up into his space as much as she could. Where the hell did he get off lecturing her? And when the hell had he gotten so damn tall? She pushed at the earth with her hands, raising up a little grass covered platform so she could get into Zuko's business. "What about you, Fire Lord? What were you doing sneaking around in there? And what's up with your people – are they that disloyal or just so dumb they can't recognize you?"

She'd heard Zuko was pretty recognizable, so, yeah, that was weird.

Zuko thrust out his hand, poking her in the chest with something big and wooden. She fumbled to grasp it, glaring up at him as best she could.

" _Ow_." She turned the item over in her hands. Oh. "So, a mask? Wait, you were being the Blue Spirit. You bastard! I can't believe you didn't invite me."

"Really?" he asked flatly. "You walk around dressed  _like_ _that_ , bend a hole in the wall of the warehouse, and destroy half the city roads escaping, but you can't see why I didn't invite you?"

Toph pulled at the hem of her dress, frowning.

"Hey, what's wrong with how I'm dressed?"

"You forgot the bottom part," he said, tone strained. He sounded very much like he wanted to be away from her, like he was struggling not to look.

Well, she was just going to have to do something about that.

Her bangs hung low over her face in a way that Toph knew hid her expression – the wicked smile just beginning to curve her lips. She tilted her head, leaning her arms against Zuko's chest as she cocked her head.

"You like it," she said gleefully. She could feel his heart racing.

He reached up, seizing her arms and forcing her back.

"You ruined my mission. Now they know the Blue Spirit is after them and they'll double their security!"

"At their new location," she added. "Don't forget, I destroyed their warehouse."

Zuko's heart beat changed to the low, thunderous pulse of fury. He was too easy.

"Guess this means you need my help tracking them down again. You're welcome, by the way." She waited a beat. "What's the mission, anyway?"

"No, Toph," Zuko said sternly. He was trying his Fire Lord voice again and that was starting to annoy her. "Uncle told me to leave you out of this. You've already done enough damage."

" _What_?" she screeched. That was what was in the letter? Hurt welled in her chest and Toph clenched her teeth as she tried not to process the idea of Iroh doing that to her. "What is it with you people? First Aang and now – argh!"

She was outta here. Zuko had ninja'd his way out of the palace city, he could damn well ninja his way back.

Toph rode a wave of earth back to the palace, not caring how much of the road she damaged in the process. Zuko could levy some taxes or something. She most certainly wouldn't be loaning Aang out to help.

It was only later when her anger cooled enough for her to think straight again. It all came down to Zuko and that mission. She had to find the letter.

* * *

 

The morning was awkward for Zuko – in many ways. First there was the crick in his neck and the sore muscles from his midnight adventure, although he only had himself to blame for that. He'd have to have his secretary find some time in his schedule for him to practice skulking from now on.

Second were the dreams, which skipped entirely over that shattered, hurt expression on Toph's face and seemed fixated only on the firm, perfect flash of thigh he'd seen when she left him in the park.

Third was the half empty bed he woke to, this morning the same as every morning this past year, sunlight bright on the empty pillow that he stared at as long as it was seemly.

And fourth was breakfast. Oh Spirits, breakfast.

The table was already laden with bowls of porridges and sesame cakes, steaming hot savory omelettes and red bean spring rolls, chilled silken tofu and exotic fruits when Zuko arrived. He'd long tried to instill into his staff the idea that breakfast should be an informal affair, the menu spare, but the best compromise he'd been able to get from them was that it didn't need to actually be ceremonial. Toph and Aang were already at the table when he arrived, depleting it of the good fried stuff and looking chipper as they did so.

Actually, only Aang looked chipper.

Zuko seated himself and took up the serving chopsticks, scrutinizing Toph as he picked dragonfruit from the fruit salad. She looked wan and unhappy with deep, dark circles underneath her eyes. Uncharacteristically, her hair was bound and pinned into an elaborate Ba Sing Se style  _liangbatou_ , leaving her face entirely uncovered. The previous night's  _qipao_  had been traded out for another floor length, wide sleeved robe, this time in rich blues and deep purples that complemented her coloring. It must have taken her quite a while to get ready – correction, it must have taken her servants quite a while to get her ready.

He frowned. He had no idea what she was playing at. Toph conspiring to bully Aang into earthbending lessons, Toph gambling in a smugglers' den – that made  _sense_. That was the girl he knew. But he was also sure that wasn't the girl that Uncle was worried about. The one who visited her mother and wore dresses and makeup was the one Uncle Iroh wanted Zuko to play big brother to, and while he could see the problem, more and more he was afraid that what he wanted to do wasn't brotherly at all.

"So," Zuko began, clearing his throat. His eyes went to the large, floor to ceiling shutter behind Aang and the striking blue of the sky over the caldera's rim. "Nice weather we're having today."

Aang straightened, eyes bright as he replied, "It looks like it's going to be a beautiful day. Wind from the south, a quick rain shower. Sounds like a great day to go out and explore the city – or even go sailing…"

"Not a chance," Toph said.

"Come on, Sifu Toph," Aang cajoled. He slung an arm around her, grinning with all his earnest charm. "It'll be a nice break from all the work we've been doing."

Toph shrugged him off, not even bothering to mention that he hadn't been training even a day yet. Zuko's frown deepened.

Time for a more direct approach.

"Did you win?"

She blinked, cocking her head to the side. Aang gingerly removed his arm, looking between the two of them in confusion.

"Wouldn't a better question be 'did you cheat'?" Toph asked.

"Not really," Zuko scoffed. "I do know you."

A scowl settled onto her face and Zuko sat back, satisfied. If he'd learned anything from Mai, it was how to irritate others for fun and occasional political profit.

"Then why would you ask if I won?" she demanded. She rose partially from her seat, gesturing with her chopsticks. "And you  _still_  haven't told me what you were doing there!"

"You haven't told me either," Aang said helpfully.

"Shut up, Twinkletoes, unless you have something to add that you haven't been telling us."

Aang instantly deflated, his slender form wilting in his chair. Zuko threw him a suspicious look, wondering just what that was about, before turning his attention back to Toph.

"What's going on with you? You came all this way to train Aang and now you don't even care and you're wearing  _dresses_? Uncle was right. Something's wrong, Toph."

She tensed, hands clenching into fists. Briefly, Zuko considered that he shouldn't have brought up Uncle Iroh's letter, that it would seem like going behind Toph's back. He dismissed the thought. Iroh was  _his_  uncle. It didn't matter if the others had latched onto him, because Zuko had dibs.

"What's going on with  _you_ , Zuko? You're being a jerk!"

Zuko shared a look with Aang, nonplussed.

"But I am a jerk," he said.

Aang nodded and then, remembering himself, added, "He's got a pretty good point, Toph."

Toph slammed her fist down onto the table, stabbing her chopsticks into a red bean cake. They stood straight up, as if for a spirit offering. She fought with her robes, red flush coming to her face as she struggle to get out of her chair. Bemused, Aang stood to help her, and she smacked him.

"Fine, don't tell me. Just write that nosy uncle of yours back and tell him to mind his business!" She swatted at one of the pearl charms dangling off her  _liangbatou_. "Aang, we've got training."

Aang shot Zuko an apologetic look, following Toph out. Zuko sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he watched them go. There was definitely something wrong.

He was fairly accustomed to dining alone these days, and he finished his breakfast in peace. It was when he strode out into the hall, however, that he was beset by servants and secretaries.

Zhang Li bowed half over, waiting until Zuko was three paces ahead of him to clear his throat. Zuko glared at nothing, suppressing the internal cringe he felt at the sound of Zhang's wooden pen scratching against paper.

"The governor of the Northern Territory is waiting in the plum room, your majesty," he murmured. If there was anything Zuko hated about courtly formality, it was all the damn whispering. He strained his ears as his secretary continued, "Du Xin has requested the presence of the Fire Lord for the committee vote regarding city zoning."

Normally that would be a routine meeting and one that Zuko wasn't expected anywhere near. He had the strong suspicion that the wreckage of the city roads Toph had left the night before was influencing Du Xin's request. The city just wasn't zoned for an earthbending school.

"And," Zhang's voice turned a touch reproachful as he shuffled his papers. A chill went up Zuko's spine. "It appears that Chief Arnook, Chief Hakoda, King Bumi, and King Kuei would like to express their concerns regarding the emerging crisis that has called the Avatar himself, as well as Lady Toph, to our shores."

"Their concern is noted," Zuko replied brusquely.

Zhang shuffled his papers more loudly.

Zuko pinched his nose between his thumb and forefinger, trying not to sigh. His crown felt particularly, stupidly heavy at the moment. He got it, he actually did. After a hundred years of war, the Fire Lord and Avatar's friendship stirred no small amount of resentment among the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom. It also, occasionally, stirred fears. While the Chiefs and the Kings themselves weren't a particularly paranoid lot – Bumi excepted – their people had a very different experience of the war. Two distant, powerful figures who could begin a new war as easily as they had ended the old one were to be watched carefully and with a jaundiced eye.

"Tell them that we are continuing peace negotiations," Zuko said finally. "The Avatar wants the Fire Nation to give more in reparations. I don't."

Zhang wrote that down dutifully. Zuko could hear his deliberate pause as he lifted his pen off his paper.

"And if they wish to send representatives to the negotiations?"

It was tempting. It really was. Zuko hadn't seen Katara in such a long time, and he was just sure she'd use a peace summit to wrangle Sokka and Suki as well. It would be nice to have the entire gang back together.

Then again, it'd be less nice to face his ministers after Katara badgered him into  _actually_  giving more reparations.

"Then they should know I will accept no representatives, only the Chiefs and Kings themselves," he replied, voice clipped as he added, "Now, I'd prefer to be left alone."

They had arrived at Toph's chambers in the palace. Zhang exchanged a look with a servant before both bowed deeply and backed away.

Zuko smiled grimly, girding himself for what he was sure to find, and pushed the door open.

* * *

Toph pressed her foot against the nicely hewn and very lovely floor of Zuko's office. She might have been dressed like a lady, but she did draw the line at shoes. That was the thing her mom never got, the thing that led to so many fights when she was at home.

She scowled at herself, immediately pushing the thoughts away. She could feel Zuko rummaging around in her room, half way across the palace. And he would pay for that. Oh, he would. But more importantly, it meant he was too busy to make  _them_  pay. They still had time.

"Hurry up, Twinkletoes," she demanded nonetheless.

Aang stopped in perusing Zuko's journal, heart pumping in that certain way that meant he was embarrassed. Despite the token protest, he had applied himself to digging through Zuko's private writings with a zeal even Toph herself could admire. He didn't always seem like it, but Aang was a consummate busybody.

"There was some good stuff in there," Aang said. He blithely scattered papers to the floor as he resumed his search for the letter. "You should hear it some time."

"Like what?" she asked. She didn't really care, but there was a strange feeling worming its way between her ribs. It felt a little like guilt and she responded the only way she knew how: doubling down. If she was going to feel bad, it damn well had to be worth it.

Aang eagerly snatched the journal up again, straightening and holding out a hand for dramatic flair.

"Things to do," he began. Toph slapped her forehead. Seriously, Aang? "Fix entire world. Invade Kyoshi Island. Win Mai back."

She immediately dropped her hand from her face. She repositioned her feet, taking a closer look at Aang.

" _What_ _now_?"

"I doubt he means that," he said dismissively. He seemed to reconsider after a moment. "Maybe we should check the naval movements."

He bent down, searching through the papers on the floor, and Toph stomped in aggravation.

"Not that! I mean, yeah, check the navy thing just in case, but it really said he wanted to win Mai back?"

Aang squared his stance, breathing out as he righted the little waves and jags Toph had created in her fit. His tone was calm and his voice soft as he added, "It's not surprising, is it, Toph?"

"Well, no," she said grudgingly. "He's known her for forever and been engaged to her twice as long. And… we all left. It's probably really lonely here."

She wrapped her arms around herself. Her family had an estate, a well-manicured garden, and even fine art – or so she'd heard. All she really remembered was passing from silent room to silent room, the house empty but for servants and her overbearing parents. They never had guests as long as she was still there.

And she tried to tell herself that's all it was. She felt empathy for Zuko. That could totally be a thing. The feeling twisting in her gut was sadness, and certainly nothing uglier. Nothing unhappy at the thought of his ex-fiancée, because the thing was, she could handle flirting with him. That was fun and, as it turned out, the feel of his chest under her hands was very nice. She definitely wasn't the kind of person who was into deluding herself about her feelings. But at the same time, she wasn't really up to feeling jealous over Zuko. That sounded like a serious emotional situation, and she was trying to handle enough of those as it was.

"Are you okay?" Aang asked. For all that Toph couldn't see his face, she could feel the gentleness of his expression and the obvious urge he had to give her a hug. She offered him a flat glare.

"Fine. Did you find it yet?"

"Yes," Aang said. There was a papery snap and then he cleared his voice, reading the note out in a subdued tone.

Toph's face creased into a frown as she listened, anger building. She didn't know what was more infuriating, Iroh's insistent reminder that Zuko "act as a brother" to her, or the fact that he didn't  _once_  tell Zuko to leave her out of the smuggling stuff. Zuko had made that up out of whole cloth. She could be discreet as anyone! Well, no, but what the hell was the virtue of discretion anyway?

And Iroh!

"I can't believe him!" she ranted, only half aware that she was speaking aloud. "What's wrong with me isn't any of his business and why the hell should he care if Zuko is a brother to me or not? What does that even  _mean_? Does he want us to fight an Agni Kai? For Zuko to lock me up in an asylum? Why should he care who I have feelings for?"

"Um. Okay."

"No, it's not okay!"

"What was that part about having feelings for Zuko?" Aang asked. He eased into her personal space, carefully putting his hands on her shoulders. Toph felt very much like he was trying to calm her as he would Appa and also very much like she would like head butt him. She refrained. "What  _is_  wrong with you, Toph?"

"Not your business," she snapped.

Aang seemed to deflate entirely, heart thumping a sad kind of disappointment. Toph pressed her lips together, ducking her head away to hide her guilt.

"I mean," she said quietly, "I'm working on it. It's something I've gotta do for myself. I'll tell you if you can help out, okay?"

Aang slipped his hands off her shoulders, turning his calming gesture into a quick hug. Toph punched him in the shoulder as soon as he let her free again, giving him a watery smile.

"Now I've got go yell at a Fire Lord. Stay here or I'll tell him you got married and ruin your life forever," she commanded. "And gimme that letter."

* * *

The flagstone shuddered beneath Zuko's feet. He looked down, a sour twist to his mouth. He was getting a little sick of Toph messing up his palace. Soon enough, the door to her room burst open. He crossed his arms, glancing again toward the open closet and all the various  _evidence_  he had found within.

"Are you done?" he asked.

The charms on Toph's  _liangbatou_  rattled as she shook her head angrily. There was high color in her cheeks, flush visible even beneath her greenish make-up. Spirits, what was it with Ba Sing Se and their vile fashion?

"Not even close, mister!" Toph snarled. She brandished a furled paper at him, snapping it open with a flick of her wrist. "How do you explain  _this_?"

Zuko stared. It was a blank piece of paper.

"Explain what?"

The paper quivered as her hand trembled with her fury. She bent the floor beneath her, pushing forward to nearly bowl Zuko over and incidentally giving her several more inches of height. She thrust the paper into his face.

" _Iroh's_ _letter_." Zuko squinted. He could make out characters on the other side of the paper. Toph abruptly frowned the frown of a person realizing that the other person wasn't up to date on the argument they were having. He'd seen that one a lot from Mai. Mild – very, very mild – chagrin entered her voice as she asked, "It's upside down, isn't it?"

"Backwards," he told her.

She turned it.

" _And_  upside down."

She growled in frustration; Zuko took the letter from her entirely. His eyes skimmed over it lightly, re-reading his uncle's words. After a moment, he looked back at Toph. Momentary embarrassment had done little to quell her anger.

"What about it?" he eventually asked.

" _What_ _about_ _it_?" her voice had gone from gratingly angry to shrill disbelief. She leaned up into his space, poking him in the chest. "You lied to me!"

Zuko's eyes went wide at the accusation. Any defense springing to mind fled as soon as his eyes locked on the closet. His voice was low as he replied, "I'm not the only liar here, Toph. How do you explain  _that_?"

He flung his hand out wide, pointing to the closet. Toph's brow furrowed and she turned her head, feeling his gesture and trying to mark out what he was indicating.

"It's a closet," she concluded flatly. "People use them for storing clothes. I hear some of them are pretty."

"You know what I mean, Toph. It's a dress.  _Another_  dress."

"What's wrong with dresses?" Toph dropped a shoulder, smile sly as she pretended to look back up at him. Her eyes were unsettlingly off the mark, looking instead at the calligraphy on the wall behind him. She swayed forward, bending another inch up from the floor so she could lay her head on his shoulder. She murmured into his ear, "I thought you liked my dress last night."

Certain parts of him had liked it very much, actually, but if he wasn't going to admit that when he was happy with her, he most certainly wasn't going to admit that now. Zuko grabbed her by the shoulders, glaring down at her.

"Why are you doing this? Is it your father? You haven't said a word about him since you came back…"

Toph blinked rapidly, seductive smile sliding off her face to be replaced by shocked blankness. She exhaled a sharp, surprised breath before glowering, pushing him away.

"Not everyone has your daddy issues,  _Fire_ _Lord_ ," she snarled.

"Fine," he snapped. "Then it's about your mother."

She clenched her jaw to stop the trembling of her lower lip. Zuko straightened his shoulders, backing up a step as he looked at her. Fuck, that was it.

"What happened with your mom?" he asked, voice soft.

"Nothing  _happened_ ," she said.

She swiped at the tears on her face, anger a lot less threatening now. Awkwardly, Zuko moved forward. He looked down at his hands, trying to figure out what to do.

"I mean, it's always the same. I go and she disapproves and Dad talks about how delicate and weak I am before trying to put me under armed guards. I break out and it's fun for everyone, right?" Toph wrapped her arms around herself, continuing, "But Dad wasn't there this time, and I talked with Mom. And I told her I'd try."

Zuko nodded, swallowing heavily.

She didn't have to explain what she'd try. She'd try to be good, try to be what her mother wanted, try to give in and just not be herself.

"Why are you still doing it?" he asked.

"Because she's right!" Toph burst out. She tugged at her robes, gathering up all the ridiculous, loose fabric that draped around her. "I can be more than that wild little brat who doesn't want to grow up. And can be blind and an earthbender and a lady  _and_  Toph!"

She paused, anger leaving her all at once.

"I just haven't figured out how, yet," she added sadly.

"Toph…" He fumbled, trying to think of anything he could say. He settled for patting her on the shoulder, which at least got a snort and chuckle from her.

"You're really bad at this," she said, smiling up at him through her tears. "And you still lied to me."

"Uncle told me to be discreet."

It was the best excuse he had – the only one, because he knew he wanted her to come along. He wanted Aang to come and he even wanted to find a way to get Katara and Sokka on board.

"It's not just that, you idiot," Toph said. "You told me you were fine. You're not fine."

"No," he admitted quietly. "I miss you. All of you."

Toph was silent for a long moment, smile fading from her face.

"Especially Mai?" she asked.

There was an insecure undertone to her voice – the kind that usually preceded a hard sock in the arm and a demand that he never, ever tell anyone that she had feelings. Zuko stared at her, slowly thinking through what to say. This answer was important to her and, maybe even more surprising, it was important to him too.

"Yes," he said quietly.

Toph grimaced and he reached out, grabbing her by the arms before she could leave. She gave a token struggle before settling sullenly in his grasp. She glared at nothing.

"Can I leave, or do you wanna tell me more about your plan to win her back?"

Zuko winced. She and Aang really had been thorough in his office, hadn't they?

"Toph, there is no plan."

"Then what about –"

"The Kyoshi Invasion?" he asked in annoyance. "Look, Toph, I loved Mai and it didn't work out. We ended up wanting different things. She's never going to want a life in the royal court and I'm always going to be Fire Lord. Yes, I miss her. That doesn't mean I'm going to restart the war over her. It wouldn't impress her anyway."

Toph gave a small, grudging snort of laughter.

"Not much did."

"Not much impresses you either," Zuko said. He really could pick them.

"And don't you forget it," she said.

He smiled, gentling his grip on her arms. She swayed in his grasp, tilting her head up as he leaned down to kiss her. It was a softer kiss than he ever would have expected from her. His hands slipped down her arms, finding her hands to thread their fingers together. Toph sighed happily, squeezing his fingers as she pressed deeper into the kiss.

Aang cleared his throat behind them.

"Okay, so I don't think that's what General Iroh meant by brotherly," he said.

Zuko broke the kiss, looking past Toph. Aang stood in the doorway, expression torn between shock and amusement. Toph kicked out her foot and immediately the floor beneath Aang moved, sliding him firmly back into the hallway. The door slammed shut.


	3. Chapter 3

 

* * *

It didn't take long to hash out a plan. Not about the kissing Zuko thing – Toph had a strong feeling that was going to take a while to figure out. So far, the kissing was top notch. Definite positive on that side of the scale. The small matters of her dresses and the royal court and the world spanning political implications of the kisses were yet to be weighed. Toph wasn't big on avoidance normally, but she was prepared to wait it out and see where things went before she even considered the fact that Zuko was Fire Lord and she was Earth Kingdom nobility.

No, it was easy to plan how to root out the smugglers.

Toph had easily confirmed that they were the right ones. She'd gotten a good feel for the gambling hall while she wheedled her way in, and the back room was full of porcelain, gold, and various earthenware no one would bother smuggling if it weren't so damned historical. She and Aang both agreed that Zuko was pretty good at tracking folks down who didn't want to be found. So while Aang did his rock squats and Toph tried to find ladylike shoes that didn't make her die on the inside, Zuko skulked on rooftops. Previous hide-out demolished by Toph, the smugglers were forced to relocate. Abandoned warehouses were not entirely common as trade boomed between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation. It presented the smugglers with a cruel irony – the very reason they could slip their counterfeit goods and rare antiquities into shipments without detection was the same reason they had no choice but to move their business across the street from their old business. There just wasn't another empty warehouse to be found.

Dressed in another, even shorter  _qipao_ , Toph made her way with Zuko and Aang to the new location. Aang had acquired a hat from somewhere. He'd modeled it back at the palace, pouting when she squashed it down on his head and laughed. The day had not yet come when he actually remembered she was blind. Zuko was running with the fact that the smugglers had previous seen him as the Blue Spirit and so he dressed not in palace finery, but whatever clothes he found most comfortable for ninjaing.

The night air was cool on her skin, but Zuko was warm at her back as they hid in a nearby alleyway. Aang was look out, standing casually to guard the entrance while he watched smugglers and gamblers walk by in dribs and drabs. Toph slipped a shoe off, pressing her foot to the earth to watch.

Zuko had said there was a particular lady to look for, not just another regular of the gambling hall, but the proprietor herself. If they were going to get in for a game, it needed to be through her. The door guards would remember Toph this time around, and she didn't think autographs would cut it as bribes.

From behind her, she heard the soft sound of Zuko's breathing. He leaned down, asking curiously, "What do you see?"

His hands were warm on her shoulders and she leaned back into the touch.

"People, other people," she said blithely. She tilted her head, actually concentrating for a moment. She pointed across the road. Hidden back behind another warehouse, in another alley, there was a couple. "People having sex."

" _Guys_ ," Aang said. His voice was strained. He was definitely over making fun of them and well into being embarrassed to be in their presence.

Tough, Toph thought with irritation. If he could be secretly married, she could torture him by not so secretly flirting with Zuko.

" _Guys_!" he hissed louder. "Hide!"

Oh. Uh. Never mind then.

He huddled up against the wall, presumably in a shadow. Toph grabbed for Zuko, pushing him to the opposite wall. Tugging his head down, she kissed him firmly.

And pulled back, frowning.

"You put your mask back on, didn't you?"

Zuko nodded silently, the wood of his mask brushing against her face. She slumped against him and took a moment to pound her forehead into his shoulder. Well, that was embarrassing.

Aang detached himself from the wall.

"So," he began awkwardly. Toph tightened her arms around Zuko's waist, just to feel Aang squirm. "The hiding… that was because it was her. The mark. In the alley."

The mark – meaning the actual ringleader of the smugglers. They'd definitely come to the right alley.

Toph perked up instantly. She backed off from Zuko a bit, letting him turn to face Aang. She could feel the heat of his body next to her and a mild thrum of amusement in his heartbeat. He seemed to like possessive types.

"What are you waiting for, Twinkletoes? Get in there and be distracting."

Aang's pulse picked up the pace, excitement fairly glowing off him.

"And stop playing with your hat," Zuko commanded. "We don't want anyone noticing it."

"Discreet, remember?" Toph told him.

Aang slouched a little. He had actually taken it quite to heart that Zuko didn't consider him stealthy enough for the mission. There had been a great deal of grumbling from him about going to school and secret dance parties before he decided to prove to Zuko just how discreet he could be.

"Discreet like the wind," Aang assured her. And, yeah, Toph really didn't think that was going to become a catch phrase any time soon.

His heart gave a guilty beat that she just  _knew_  meant he was fiddling with his hat one more time, probably smoothing the brim, and then he was off. He sauntered into the alleyway, blending into another group of gamblers like he actually belonged. Toph exhaled a long breath. Okay, phase one was in motion.

The plan, such as it was, didn't really call for Aang to be discreet – or for any of them, really. Aang's job was to loudly, happily, and possibly drunkenly lose as much money as he could. They wanted the gambling hall to be in high spirits when Toph walked in the door with her masked bodyguard. Zuko's scouting over the past few nights led him to believe that the previous bouncer had been fired, but that just meant that the new one would be all the more cautious when dealing with her.

Something, in fact, that they were counting on.

Zuko sidled to the entrance of the alley, undoubtedly keeping to the shadows while he watched the warehouse let Aang in.

"How long do you think we should give him?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

"Eh. Not long. I don't know if you've noticed, but for an ascetic monk, he sure can burn through money." Toph leaned back against the wall on the other side of the alley from Zuko. She probably wasn't all that well concealed, but then again, what was the point of wearing a dress if no one could see it? She stretched out a leg, hearing wood clack against stone as Zuko lifted up his mask. She stretched her arms out, pushing her chest forward, before sighing and relaxing once more. "Did we ever tell you about when we were scamming Fire Nation villages blind?"

"That's how you do everything, Toph." He waited a beat, adding, "No. I read the reports."

Toph grinned at the implicit disapproval in his voice. Oh, like he was one to judge.

"Yeah, good times. For the wise spiritual leader of all humanity, Aang's got a pretty shaky moral compass. He really got into it. Then again, he likes fun. Unlike you." Zuko didn't even try to defend himself, so Toph continued, "And you know, if we're going to do this, you're gonna have to learn to enjoy yourself."

Zuko shifted, crossing his arms.

"Mai never made me have fun," he groused.

"And," Toph said sharply, holding up a finger. "You are going to have to stop comparing me to Mai. Especially if you don't want me comparing  _you_  to Haru, Teo, or the Duke."

Zuko made a disgusted sound.

"Haru? What is it with that guy? Is it the mustache?"

"Maybe," she replied nonchalantly. Actually, she'd hated that little face mouse-ferret and demanded he shave it off. If Zuko got any funny ideas about royal propriety and started growing a beard, she'd take care of business herself.

"I can't promise you more field trips," Zuko said seriously. "This might be the only one."

Toph grinned.

"With me around, I don't think you'll have to worry about that."

"Even if you're being a lady?"

"Especially then."

She pushed away from the wall, walking forward on her high heels to press up against him. He tilted her head up for a quick kiss and she smiled into it. This time he'd remembered to take the mask off.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled back.

"I think that's about enough time for Aang. Any longer and he'll lose the royal treasury."

* * *

The bouncer was, in fact, someone new this time around. Zuko studied the man. He didn't look like he would be a particular impediment to their plan. He was not burly, as the last had been, but well muscled and slim in the way that spoke of bending ability. Earthbending, most likely, since he kept a hammer on his belt. That was hardly any kind of guard against Toph, but the intelligence in his eyes made it clear that he was fully aware of its inadequacy.

"She's not welcome here," he said, barring the door with the simple efficiency of an arm across it. He added, "Boss isn't fond of masks, either. You want in, you gotta take it off."

"Not happening," Toph retorted.

"Then I guess you'll have a quiet evening," the guard said.

"I know you're a smart guy, Li. Can I call you Li?" Toph started. The guard tried to interrupt – probably to inform her that wasn't his name, but she plowed on, "And I know that  _you_ _know_  what happened the last time I was here."

"That's why you aren't welcome, actually."

"Right. Which doesn't seem like the best strategy, really. I can come in any time I want. I can bend a hole in a wall, or break it down, or even," she grinned wickedly, pivoting on her right foot and jerking her head to the side. The warehouse slid to the right. She continued, "Or even move the entire building. You get my drift?"

The guard did seem rather impressed, but once he recovered from the inelegant stumble caused by the doorframe knocking him forward a foot, he retook his firm, disapproving stance.

"You need to move it a lot further if you want in."

Toph flexed her hands, dropping into a low, grounded posture as she readied to move the entire building. Zuko backed up, awkwardly peering through his mask to survey the surrounding area. The dock warehouses were closely packed. There wasn't really enough room to misplace an entire warehouse.

Thankfully, their mark interceded.

She was the same tall, beautiful woman he'd first tailed to the warehouse so many nights ago. Her hair hung in dark, carefully maintained ringlets around her face, eyes deep set and clever. She was dressed in a weird, foreign fashion that Zuko couldn't place – pants and a white, pressed shirt fastened in the front with shining buttons. She wore a hat not unlike Aang's on her head. The entire get up made Zuko pine a bit for the familiar insanity of Ba Sing Se fashion.

"Sun Shuai, is there a problem?" she asked. The guard straightened, jumping out of the doorframe to let her pass. She stepped onto the threshold, arms crossed as she looked out at Toph. Her eyes skimmed over her, flicking only once over to Zuko. He felt a strong surge of tension at her studied indifference. She was no fool. "Ah, I see our guest has returned."

"Your guard said I wasn't welcome. I'm glad you're here to clear up the misunderstanding," Toph said sweetly, inclining her head politely to the woman.

"My guard was correct. You cost me a great deal of money last time you were here, Miss Bei Fong."

"It's Lady, actually," Toph said. Her voice was stiff and cold. Zuko nudged her, reminding her to play her part. She elbowed him in the side, but nonetheless forced out a breath, re-centering herself. "This isn't about me, though. My friend is in there, paying you back. I thought we could make it a little more fun, you and me. Play a game or two. You win, you take all you lost and more. I win and I get the pick of all those nice little trinkets you have hidden away in the back room."

The woman considered for a moment before nodding. She gestured to the guard to let them in.

"Of course, Ma Lian," he said, bowing deeply. He gave each of them a suspicious look as they passed.

The interior of the warehouse was as busy and raucous as Zuko remembered. His eyes were drawn immediately to the corner where Aang loudly and affably bemoaned the roll of his dice. Men patted him on the shoulder consolingly while women tried to offer comforts of their own. Zuko smirked under his mask as he watched Aang fend them off. Just wait until Katara heard about that.

"A game of skill, I should think," Ma Lian suggested as she guided them toward a table in the back. Several large men in hats eyed them as they passed, but she waved their concern away. "What's your pleasure?"

"Pai sho," Toph replied.

Zuko looked to her in surprise. He knew that she played frequently with Uncle when she visited Ba Sing Se, but their plan had involved cheating, not strategy. Of course, he had the sense that Ma Lian was smart enough to spot whatever tricks Toph had. Clearly Toph had come to the same conclusion.

"Ah," Ma Lian said. Her gaze drifted toward Zuko. She smiled. "An old favorite."

Zuko gave her a hard stare in return, trying to weigh the meaning of her words. Even after the wretched, musical rewrite of "The Boy in the Iceberg" had come out, his identity as the Blue Spirit had remained a secret. So what exactly did she mean?

It became clear soon enough. They settled at a small, circular playing table. Toph and Ma Lian sat opposite each other, while Zuko stood, hands on Toph's chair. Ma Lian gestured to one of her cohorts and he brought out the tile set. Toph waited a long moment before reaching into her box of tiles, hesitant in her every move. She groped to find one, hand closing on it in horror.

"I know it's quite a poor set in comparison to the jade set you certainly are accustomed to, but I have little choice. I can hardly trust my patrons not to take back their lost gold in jade," Ma Lian said. She had a faint, apologetic smile on her face. "I do hope the decoration makes up for it some."

Zuko frowned into his mask. The tiles were rather beautifully illustrated, but he didn't see the problem. He leaned down and Toph hissed into his ear, "They're  _wood_. Nothing but crappy, lacquered wood."

Oh, fuck.

He rocked back on his heels, mind spinning as he watched Toph carefully work through her set of tiles. She smoothed her thumb over each one, feeling for the carved design, before sorting them into piles. Defensive pieces to the right, offensive to the left. Zuko felt a weight in his stomach. Already this was a bad strategy.

"Toph," he hissed. He reached out, stilling her hand. "Nature and temple."

It would be a more ambiguous way of organizing her hand, but hopefully still clear enough for her to play from. She bit her lip and nodded. Her hand was more hesitant as she re-sorted the tiles. Lotus with chrysanthemum, peony, and cherry blossom; bison with temple, prayer wheel, and lemur. The junk, the lionturtle, the sun, and stars were left unsorted in between the two groups.

Ma Lian raised an eyebrow, watching these proceedings with interest.

"Shall we begin?" she asked. There was a small, pleased smile on her lips. This was not good.

The first move went to Toph. She felt through her tiles once again, breathing hitched and unusually nervous as she picked one up. The table, thankfully, was carved stone – actually, it looked familiar. Zuko glared down at it. Probably more antiquities looted from the Fire Temples. Toph chose the simplest opening, leading with her temple toward the eastern corner of the game board. Ma Lian took only a brief moment to consider her move. She played white jasmine along the west. A typical first move, good for building a defensive line.

Tiles clicked on the board as the two women made their moves, back and forth. It was not long before Zuko noticed the strain on Toph. Her tiles were haphazardly scattered and when she played, she mumbled something under her breath.

"Black lotus next to temple, bison in front of sun," she recited softly. Like she was trying to fix it in her mind, Zuko realized suddenly.

He looked to the board. The bison was behind the sun.

"Toph, stop," he commanded. Her hand clenched around the tile she held, hovering above the board. "You have it backwards."

Toph growled softly to herself, angry at the mistake. She nodded and placed the tile down where he directed, putting the moon into alignment with the sun.

"Interesting choice," Ma Lian said. It really wasn't. Her eyes, however, were on Zuko rather than the board. "I was not aware we were playing doubles."

"You're right. We're not," Zuko said. He raised his arms, unfastening his mask behind his head. He pulled it off, fixing his gaze on her. Not a single flicker of surprise passed over her face. "I think it's time I took over."

"You just did something really stupid, didn't you?" Toph asked rhetorically.

"It's my mission," he started. Immediately, she dug her heel into the earth, jabbing a sharp chunk of rock out at him. He lifted his feet off the floor. "I'm taking over."

"Not a chance, Sparky."

"Toph!" Zuko protested. He clenched his hand into a fist, fighting the urge to argue. He'd promised they'd do this together and he knew her pride was on the line here. She wouldn't forgive him if he told her she couldn't handle playing the game blind. He softened his voice as much as he could, although it sounded strained even to him, "Just… listen to me."

She clenched her jaw, but after a long moment, she relaxed, grudgingly nodding to him.

"Okay, I will. If that's okay with fancy britches over there."

"Oh, I've no problem at all with it. You know, I once played a game against a blind man who had a seeing eye poodlemonkey. Isn't that amazing?" Ma Lian said. Her eyes glittered with amusement as she watched Zuko for a reaction, taking great joy in the treasonous comparison.

Exile. So much exile.

The game continued, slower but with more confident moves from Toph as Zuko narrated the state of the board to her. He knelt stooped down, snaking an arm between her and her chair. She leaned into his shoulder and Zuko considered himself forgiven. Ma Lian played casually and calmly, clearly noting all their interaction for future sale.

* * *

Toph's attention wandered during the game. And, yeah, okay, she was aware that was not a good idea, But the deeper they pressed into the game, the more Zuko's narration took on a tone of direction and command, and she wasn't really interested in fighting it. She wasn't even that good at pai sho on a regular day, let alone on one where she had to act like an  _actual_  blind girl and just remember stuff. Ma Lian seemed content to let Zuko take the reins; removing his mask and confirming his identity was more than the price of admission to the game.

In the meantime, they were attracting a crowd. Toph stiffened under the attention – the first time in a long time she'd disliked people watching her win. But, you know, it was weird. She was dolled up all girly, leaning on her sort of boyfriend. She wasn't used to people seeing that Toph.

There was something more to it, too. She slipped off a shoe and flexed her toes against the packed earth floor. A little application of earthbending and it wasn't so packed. She restrained a sigh at the feel, working her foot into a nice dirty, little hole. There was definitely something afoot – ha! – in the warehouse. She cast about, looking for Aang. Yep. That was it. Flaky little airbender was not doing his job anymore. Or…

She tilted her head, trying to figure out the vibrations she was getting. Aang was doing something, but she didn't feel the right anxiety or conflicted disappointment she should feel from a guy on a losing streak.

Zuko's sleeve brushed against her bare arm as he played a tile, apparently impatient with her lack of attention.

"Sorry," she said. She really wasn't.

Zuko ignored her, hand hovering over the board. Finally, he nodded to himself and pulled his hand back, satisfied with his move. Really satisfied. Well, whatever. Some people dug pai sho.

Ma Lian played a tile with a sound of extreme decisiveness.

"I believe I've won," she said smugly.

Toph frowned. In between not paying attention and Zuko not telling her, she'd lost track of the moves entirely. She slapped her palm to the table, seeing the outline of tiles, but she couldn't tell which was which. Annoyed, she elbowed Zuko in the side.

"Are you sure?" Zuko asked. He played a tile nonchalantly, into a cluster of Ma Lian's tiles on the northern edge of the board. Toph gave a low whistle. That was risky as hell... "Because I think  _I_  have you cornered."

Ma Lian's pulse skipped, her tranquil demeanor entirely broken by her shock.

"You cheated!" she snapped. She stood angrily, pointing in Zuko's face.

"That's a serious accusation to level at your Fire Lord," Zuko said, voice low. "And we both know the temple gambit is fair play in all variations."

Toph's mouth formed an "oh" at his explanation. So that was what he'd done. The temple gambit was a daring, stupid strategy. It relied almost entirely on defense, with the player building up as much on his own side of the board as possible, before striking into the heart of the opposition – building a temple and claiming all the surrounding pieces for himself. Usually the temple was one of the first played pieces, giving a solid defensive line to attack from.

Actually… hadn't she played that first herself?

Zuko stood, pulling Toph with him.

"The win is fair. I want my forfeit."

Ma Lian took several moments to respond, deliberately calming herself. Her voice was smooth and gracious when she finally replied, "Of course. You have your pick of items in our storehouse. Follow me to the back."

She walked away, footsteps heavy with anger. Toph could just feel the wheels in her head spinning as she tried to figure out a way out of it. Aang appeared from the crowd, and together they followed her into the back room. Ma Lian squared her stance and struck out with a flat palm – firebending light into the unlit lanterns of the back room. Interesting, Toph thought.

A guard closed the door behind them. Toph rolled her eyes.

"So, what's the damage?" she asked Aang.

"A lot?" Aang responded sheepishly. "Sorry, Zuko."

Ma Lian sighed, pressing an aggravated hand to her forehead.

"Let's just get this over with, shall we? What do you want?"

"All of it," Zuko told her immediately.

"No."

Zuko took a step forward, towering over her. She did not flinch, although Toph could almost hear how hard her heart was beating. She'd bet that for all Ma Lian's bravado – all her smarts and cold blooded criminal savvy – she wasn't really a fighter. Possibly wasn't even a traitor.

"My friend has just lost a large chunk of the treasury in your gambling hall while  _you_  have just lost your bet to me. So what you are going to do is give us everything. Every urn, every scroll, every little treasure that belongs in a temple or museum. And then you aren't going to tell  _anyone_  about tonight."

"Oh? Why not?" Ma Lian asked. "Seems like it will make a good story."

"Because no one's ever going to buy from you again, honey," Toph said. She reached out, plucking the hat off of Aang's head. Ma Lian made an angry sound in the back of her throat; who knew hats were such good disguises? "You got scammed by the Avatar and the Fire Lord. More importantly, you got scammed by  _me_. Why should they ever respect you again?"

"If it helps we don't want your money," Aang added brightly.

Ma Lian considered.

"Fine. Take it. You've already paid with the Avatar's losses."

She waved them past her, letting them at the hoard she guarded. Very quickly, Toph decided against sorting. She stomped a foot, bending a large stone platform with all the treasure on it while Aang grunted with effort, bending a hole in the back wall.

"We'll send back the stuff we don't like," Toph assured Ma Lian.

"I will most definitely hold you to that," Ma Lian replied, her voice chilly.

Toph hopped up onto the platform. She felt Zuko land beside her and then the delicate, little whisper of a landing that had to be Aang. She was about to gesture to him to bend them the hell out of there when Aang turned. There was something weirdly smug about his posture.

He looked back at Ma Lian.

"Oh," he said cheerfully. "I forgot. I was supposed to  _lose_?"

Fire shot over his head and that was definitely Toph's cue to book it.


	4. Epilogue

  
Zuko woke with the dawn. Light streamed in from the shutters, dutifully opened by now-absent servants only minutes before sunrise. The light was a warm orange on the horizon, falling as a bright yellow across the rumpled sheets of his bed. And the woman in it.

Toph's hair was a mess. It had been difficult to get the  _liangbatou_  out of her hair and by that point, she'd been in no mood to comb out the mess. The high collar of her  _qipao_  was twisted uncomfortably in her sleep – for her, anyway. It was still pretty comfortable to Zuko to see confirmation that she was dressed.

It'd all been her fault. After returning to the palace, antiquities, treasure, and tea well in hand, she'd demanded to know just how he'd won that pai sho game. Last she'd noticed, they were fairly well screwed. And when a couple of pai sho tiles fell out of his sleeve, neither her glee nor Aang's shock could be contained.

"You giant cheat!" she'd crowed triumphantly. She jumped up, hugging him around the middle and dragging him down for a kiss. "I knew I played that piece."

"Where did you learn to play like that?" Aang had wanted to know.

And the answer was simple. Uncle Iroh. As well as every other backstabbing court functionary he'd ever played against his entire life.

Toph, however, thought it was a big deal that Zuko would both decide to dishonor himself and actually have fun on the same night, so celebration had been in order.

It was a good thing she didn't yet know where the strong booze was hidden in the palace.

He stretched, easing out of bed. His eyes felt sandy and his mouth was too dry, with a sour taste in it, but otherwise he felt fine. He smiled to himself, looking back to the bed. Toph grumbled something in her sleep, flinging out an arm. It was nice to be with someone again. To be with her.

After his morning exercises, the daily notes with Zhang, ablutions, and a lengthy argument with his servants over what he was going to wear for the day – for some reason they still thought he should be formal with Aang and Toph, her presence in her bed apparently not withstanding – Toph began to wake.

She jerked upright, blinking rapidly in confusion before flopping backward onto the bed. She threw her arm over her face and then frowned up into it.

"Crap," she said. "I slept in my makeup, didn't I?"

The green blush was smeared across not only her face and arm, but all of Zuko's bedding. He'd found a fair bit of it on his face in the mirror while he shaved, actually.

"Made a real mess on my pillows. Good thing I'm rich."

"Good thing I'm blind."

"Yeah. That's just what I like to hear from a girl in the morning."

"You know what I mean," she huffed out. Finally, she dropped the arm off her face and sat up. She picked at her  _qipao_. "So, did we…?"

Zuko frowned at her. Being dressed wasn't evidence enough? Great, now he was having thoughts about her and that  _qipao_.

"You were a perfect lady. My honor's still all intact."

She threw him a thumbs up.

"But if you want…" he started.

Toph fell out of bed, tangled in the sheets. Zuko walked over to her, pulling the sheet off of her. He held out a held and she took it, levering herself up against him.

"Do want," she said, exhaling a deep breath as she pressed her face against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"Then it's a good thing you're staying at the palace."

Zuko was just beginning to enjoy the moment when Toph jerked away. Her feet were planted, face lit with an excited expression.

"Old Guy!" she exclaimed.

Zuko's eyes went wide, heart stopping for just a moment. Heedless of his reaction, Toph pushed away from him. She was already out the bedroom door before he could even manage a strangled protest. She wasn't even _dressed_!

Warily, he followed her out. Unerringly, she walked a direct path not to Uncle's room or the dining room, but to an imperial receiving room. The one, coincidentally, where they had dropped off their well-earned gambling hall winnings. Toph plowed into the room happily, throwing herself at Iroh for a hug. Zuko, meanwhile, peeked cautiously around the door. He hadn't exactly lived up to the terms of Iroh's letter, after all.

The room was stacked wall to wall with recovered artifacts. Urns, vases, scrolls, and texts lined the walls, while large drums full of  _something_  were wedged in against a small table. A pot of tea rested on the table, steam gently curling off it. Two cups had already been served, while two more were unfilled. A few red bean cakes rested on the table – one half eaten on Aang's plate.

Iroh gave a charmed, indulgent smile down at Toph and she pulled away, crossing her legs to sit next to him. He redirected his attention back to Aang, sitting on the other side of the table, but it was clear to Zuko his Uncle was pitching his voice for him to hear, "In my opinion, honesty is always the most honorable course of action. Secrets are a burden and forgiveness can only be given in the light of the truth."

Zuko cringed at the words. He hung his head, accepting his destiny.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the room. Aang startled, head whipping around to stare at him.

"I've got something to say," Zuko started, looking Uncle in the eye. Iroh seemed confused. He jerked his head toward Aang, which Zuko ignored. Who the hell cared what Aang thought? In a rush, he said, "Toph and I are together."

"Katara and I got married!" Aang blurted at the same time.

Iroh rose, putting out a placating hand before Zuko fully processed what Aang had said. He looked from Aang to Toph – she had a wide, amused grin perched on top of a fist as she watched – and back to Aang.

"You did what?" he asked blankly.

Aang turned big, pleading gray eyes on him.

"Katara and I got married and I wanted you to be there, but it was all so quick, not even Sokka came!"

Zuko exhaled unsteadily – and yes, it did come out a little smoky. He clenched his hands into fists, trying not to get too angry, or too hurt. It stung that Aang hadn't even told him when Toph obviously knew. That he'd told Uncle Iroh first and he'd just gotten here!

But... it did help that Sokka hadn't been there. Especially because it meant they  _had_  to do it again.

Iroh smiled broadly, somehow thinking the same thing.

"Then it's settled," he said. He put an arm around Aang and then Zuko, pulling them close as if in congratulations. "I'll officiate the double ceremony."

Zuko squirmed in his grasp. Toph dropped her cup directly back onto the table, shaking her head as if she hadn't heard right.

"The what now?"

"The double ceremony," Iroh repeated merrily. "My nephew would never spend the night with a woman he was not engaged to – what a scandal that would be. The rest of the Earth Kingdom delegation should be here soon. What a stir you three managed to cause! All of the leaders of the world want to be a part of the peace negotiations that brought the Avatar here. Such a lucky coincidence that they will be in time for the wedding."

Zuko glared down at the top of Uncle's head. There wasn't any way he could have known what would happen when he sent Toph with that letter.

Iroh eventually disengaged from the hug, letting them go to putter off with the large containers of whatever. Aang sent Zuko a desperate, sidelong glance. Emotions warred within Zuko. He had no sympathy at all for Aang at the moment, but horribly enough, he thought they might be allies in this.

Iroh dug into the container, making a sound of disgust at what he found.

"This isn't tea. It's just  _leaves_!"

Aang grinned, nudging Zuko in the side, and even he couldn't suppress an amused snort. Taking advantage of Uncle's distraction, Toph slowly and quietly made her way to them. She slipped her hand into Zuko's. Her face was fierce and grim and covered in a mess of terrible makeup. She looked beautiful.

"Don't worry," she told him. "I'll get us out of this. I'm not called the Runaway for nothing."


End file.
